Sarah Palin & Tickle-Me-Elmo: A Historical Perspective

According to a new poll from Rasmussen, published Friday, ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Sarah Palin, including 65% who say their view is ‘very favorable’. A staggering 64% name Sarah Palin as their top choice for the party’s 2012 presidential nominee.

Here, a little historical perspective seems in order.

Remember in 1996, when Tickle Me Elmo dolls were all the rage? Remember how parents were so desperate, they were screaming, biting and clawing at each other in toy departments across America, just to get their hands on one of those giggling monsters? Remember how some of these folks even shelled out upwards of $1,000 apiece on eBay? A similar phenomenon happened in 1983, with Cabbage Patch Kids.

In years to come, we may be able to chalk it up to temporary insanity, the autumn of 2008, when certain members of the Republican Party grew so fearful, angry and paranoid, they thought it made perfect sense to threaten death to an Amercian presidential candidate. They grew so misguided, they truly believed they’d discovered a national hero in a dishonest, tax-evading, opportunistic welfare deadbeat, called Joe the Plumber. They grew so fervored over the stage presence of a charismatic, evangelical, xenophobic, ignorant, red-baiting racist named Sarah Palin, that they felt as if the entire future of the planet hinged on electing her to high office — despite that she’d just recently been found guilty of executive abuse of power. They became so unmoored from their bearings that they saw fit to elect the first convicted felon (Ted Stevens) to the Senate.

One thing is for certain: Come 2012, if Sarah is still — as the Republicans are calling her — the brightest shining star in their party, that doesn’t bode too well for the integrity of the Grand Old Party, much less their future. Which is just fine by me.